1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to an absorbent article. More precisely, it relates to an absorbent article having leak-preventing cuffs or flap portions for surely leading wearer""s excretions to its top sheet and for preventing side leakage of the excretions through it. Further precisely, it relates to an absorbent article having such leak-preventing cuffs or flap portions coated with a silicone compound layer.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various absorbent articles for absorbing excretions are used, including, for example, sanitary napkins, pantiliners, disposable diapers, incontinence pads, etc. These absorbent articles comprise a liquid-pervious top sheet that is to be in contact with the skin of a wearer to pass the wearer""s excretions through it, a back sheet that is to face the wearer""s underwear, and an absorbent core sandwiched between the top sheet and the back sheet. On both sides, the absorbent articles have leak-preventing cuffs for preventing side leakage of excretions outside them. The absorbent articles of this type are made of vapor-pervious material to prevent them from being too much humidified. In these, for example, the leak-preventing cuffs are made of non-woven fabric of hydrophobic fibers.
In the absorbent articles of this type, however, excretions tend to adhere to the leak-preventing cuffs made of such non-woven fabric of hydrophobic fibers, and leak out of the leak-preventing cuffs owing to the wearer""s body pressure from the wearer""s weight and motion.
In addition, the excretions having adhered to the leak-preventing cuffs made of non-woven fabric of hydrophobic fibers often stain them, even though a little. In particular, menses and other fluid discharges containing protein firmly adhere to the leak-preventing cuffs made of such non-woven fabric, and stain them. Accordingly, if the leak-preventing cuffs of the sanitary napkins and the like are stained with menses, they will give an uncomfortable feeling to users when they are discarded after use.
On the other hand, high-viscosity fluid excretions such as loose feces and watery feces easily adhere to non-woven fabric. Therefore, with the disposable diapers and the like, loose feces and watery feces adhered to the leak-preventing cuffs made of non-woven fabric will give an uncomfortable feeling to users.
An object of the present invention is to provide an absorbent article which effectively prevents side leakage of excretions through it, and in which excretions hardly adhere to other region except for the top sheet.
According to an aspect of the invention, an absorbent article may comprise a liquid-pervious top sheet to be in contact with the skin of a wearer, a back sheet, and an absorbent core sandwiched between the top sheet and the back sheet, wherein;
a layer of silicone compound is formed on the surface of one of: a side sheet provided on each side of the absorbent core, and a side portion of the back sheet extending outwardly from each side of the absorbent core.
In the absorbent article of the invention, the silicone compound layer is formed on the leak-preventing cuffs and/or flap portions provided on both sides of the absorbent core. Being so constituted, therefore, the absorbent article prevents excretions from leaking out through the leak-preventing cuffs and/or flap portions. Additionally, excretions hardly adhere to the surface of the silicone compound layer, and even protein-containing menses hardly adhere thereto. Therefore, menses hardly adhere to the leak-preventing cuffs and the flap portions in the absorbent article to avoid giving an uncomfortable feeling to the users when the absorbent article is exchanged for a new one after used.
The absorbent article may have a leak-preventing cuff formed by the side sheet, and at least one surface of the leak-preventing cuff may be coated with the silicone compound layer.
The absorbent article may have a flap portion formed at least by the side sheet, and the surface of the flap portion to be in contact with the skin of a wearer may be coated with the silicone compound layer.
Preferably, the silicone compound layer has a two-layered structure comprising a first layer of a first silicone compound and a second layer of a second silicone compound formed on the first layer to be in contact with the skin of a wearer.
Also preferably, the silicone compound layer is formed of a mixture of a first silicone compound and a second silicone compound, and a larger amount of the second silicone compound than that of the first silicone compound appears on the surface of the silicone compound layer.
More preferably, the surface tension of the second silicone compound is lower than that of the first silicone compound.
Still more preferably, the surface tension of the second silicone compound is at most 30.0 mN/m.
Also preferably, the first silicone compound is a silicone resin.
Also preferably, the second silicone compound is a silicone oil. More preferably, the degree of polysiloxane skeleton introduction into the silicone oil falls between 30 and 100%, and the degree of polymerization of the silicone oil is at most 100.